ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study an explorative and a descriptive design has been implemented with the
aim of obtaining knowledge, insight, and understanding of the psycho-social
implications of a cleft lip and/or cleft palate for the individual child as well as the
family. The motivation for this study was a result of the lack of knowledge on the
psycho-social adjustments of an individual/child with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate and
his/her family. The researcher became conscious of this lack during a full preliminary
inquiry and this lack has been confirmed by the Department of Social Work as well as
the Department of Maxillo-Facial-and Oral Surgery at Tygerberg Hospital. The aim of
this study is therefore to create guidelines concerning social welfare interference in
families after the birth of a baby with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate, in order to improve
psycho-social functioning.
The literature study included occurrence and incidence, embryological development,
etiology of cleft lip and/or cleft palate as well as the psycho-social implications for the
individual/child and the family. The medical aspects, namely the etiological and
embryological development of cleft lip and/or cleft palate only serves as a
background for the medical social worker that forms part of the interdisciplinary team
of a cleft palate/lip clinic. This research focuses primarily on the psycho-social
implications of a cleft lip and/or cleft palate on the individual/child as well on the
family. The literature study also included the theoretical perspectives which
determine the social worker's task and the system and strength perspective has been
focused on. These perspectives have been implemented according to the
development-aimed approach.
The researcher decided to involve ten pre-school children with congenital deformity,
between the ages of one month to six years as well as their mothers, who are from
the service area of the Tygerberg Hospital in the research. The study was determined
by a combination of qualitative as well as quantitative research methods, namely
structured interviews as well as structured questionnaires. The results of this
research confirmed the results of the literature study to a great extent, namely that
individuals/children with a congenital deformity, as well as their families, are a highrisk
group for psycho-social problems. These psycho-social problems indicate
relationship problems in the family, cognitive problems for the individual/child as well as social adjustment problems for the individual/child and the family. Therefore the
results gave an indication of what the content of intervention programmes for this
target group should be.
The recommendations focused on three areas, namely general recommendations
concerning prenatal clinics where the cleft lip and/or cleft palate should be identified,
general recommendations concerning guidelines for the social worker before
intervention in the target group starts and recommendations with the aim of creating
guidelines for social welfare intervention, in order to limit the psycho-social
implications on the individual/child. The recommendations include further research in
order to address society's ignorance concerning cleft lip and/or cleft palate. This
research should focus on the development of social welfare programmes which, by
primary prevention, aim at improved informing the society of this deformity.